Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibaraki and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Ibaraki versus $1,427 in Okinawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Ibaraki versus $2,228 in Okinawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Ibaraki versus $3,030 in Okinawa.

Living in Ibaraki costs roughly 17% less than in Okinawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibaraki is 14% below, Okinawa is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 ¥1,034

$9.68 ¥1,511

-31.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ¥4,975

$40.32 ¥6,292

-20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥827

$6.94 ¥1,082

-23.63%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ¥488

$4.18 ¥653

-25.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 ¥181

$1.47 ¥230

-21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥119

$1.01 ¥158

-24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ¥395

$2.00 ¥313

26.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥502

$4.46 ¥696

-27.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 ¥437

$1.59 ¥249

76.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥242

$2.20 ¥344

-29.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 ¥678

$3.98 ¥620

9.05%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥328

$1.81 ¥282

16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 ¥1,746

$17.99 ¥2,807

-37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ¥1,033

$5.05 ¥788

31.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 ¥2,711

$22.90 ¥3,574

-24.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 ¥765

$3.73 ¥582

31.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 ¥366

$2.78 ¥434

-15.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 ¥495

$2.30 ¥358

37.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 ¥675

$5.27 ¥822

-17.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ¥394

$2.45 ¥382

3.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ¥378

$2.53 ¥394

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.35 ¥211

-5.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥127

$0.77 ¥120

5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥590

$3.93 ¥614

-3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ¥1,177

$6.51 ¥1,015

15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥287

$1.96 ¥306

-6.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥345

$3.45 ¥538

-35.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥258

$1.46 ¥229

13.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 ¥9,159

$68.1 ¥10.6K

-13.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 ¥749

$3.94 ¥614

21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 ¥444

$3.59 ¥560

-20.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 ¥3,079

$11.87 ¥1,853

66.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥182

$1.13 ¥177

3.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.3K ¥3.5M

$21.9K ¥3.4M

1.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$15.4K ¥2.4M

-0.24%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$134 ¥20.8K

$165 ¥25.7K

-19.10%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$24.24 ¥3,783

$25.69 ¥4,009

-5.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.64 ¥4,936

$54.8 ¥8,550

-42.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ¥8,121

$74.0 ¥11.6K

-29.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.5 ¥8,814

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 ¥1,863

$12.50 ¥1,951

-4.48%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$552 ¥86.1K

$345 ¥53.8K

59.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$5,827 ¥909.1K

140.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.82 ¥4,185

$51.7 ¥8,063

-48.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.01 ¥5,150

$24.12 ¥3,763

36.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 ¥10.6K

$81.1 ¥12.7K

-16.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 ¥12.6K

$95.9 ¥15.0K

-16.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ¥63.3K

$411 ¥64.2K

-1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ¥41.4K

$332 ¥51.8K

-20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 ¥161.3K

$863 ¥134.7K

19.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥84.4K

$694 ¥108.2K

-21.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,081 ¥636.8K

$8,703 ¥1.4M

-53.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 ¥317.3K

$1,200 ¥187.3K

69.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,572 ¥401.2K

$1,861 ¥290.4K

38.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.23

-6.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ibaraki: September 14, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Ibaraki and $411 in Okinawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ibaraki pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ibaraki vs $40.00 in Okinawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $337 per month, with Ibaraki cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ibaraki vs Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibaraki and Okinawa differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,178 vs $1,427 including rent). Ibaraki is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Ibaraki, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $405 in Ibaraki versus $411 in Okinawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Okinawa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibaraki – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $40.00 in Okinawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,178 in Ibaraki versus $1,427 in Okinawa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ibaraki but tight or insufficient in Okinawa. The gap between the two cities makes Ibaraki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ibaraki and Okinawa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ibaraki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Okinawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.